Wheel Bearing Adjustment and Split pins

[William2]

When adjusting the front wheel bearings should a very slight amount of play when you rock the road wheel be acceptable? Also, in the past I have sometimes struggled to get the split pin in and out of the hole due to the depth of the hub. I was wondering whether thick coat hanger wire would be a possible alternative as this might be easier to feed through the hole and bend over when in place.

[CBUEB1771]

A slight amount of motion of the wheel is normal, the specification is for the hub to have 0.002 to 0.003 inches of axial float when the cotter pin is in place. I always trim the cotter pin to have the longer leg protrude about 1/4 inch past the castellated nut. I then push that longer leg back, into the hub, with a long screwdriver and leave the shorter leg alone. To disassemble it is easy to grab the longer leg with needle nose pliers and pull it forward, toward you, again.

[john.p.clegg]

Some people drill holes in the side or the hub to allow easy access..

John

[billwill]

I never thought it a problem, just use needle nose pliers, bend the pin in a curve with the shorter side on the inside of the curve, this tends to make them nearly the same 'length'.

Feed it in with the pliers, with the final effort tending to uncurve the pin. Grab the ends when they come through twisting the pin so that the slit is in line with the axle direction. Then grab each 'half pin' with the needle pliers and twist, one to the right and one to the left. the final pull there will pull the loop at the other end of the pin into the castellation.

[JonB]

I use a pair of Vise-grip bent nose pliers.

https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Vis ... n-10505505

There's a bit of a knack to doing this but the Vise-grips make it easier.

[gjz30075]

Some people drill holes in the side or the hub to allow easy access..

John

I did this to my hubs. Makes it so much easier to fit the pin.

[john.p.clegg]

Just make sure you drill at the correct depth to insert the pin...and drill straight through to the other side to keep the balance.

John

[rgh0]

get bolt on hubs - much easier

cheers
Rohan